Drawer construction



July 25, 1967 D. D. DICKSON DRAWER CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov l8, 1965 w MNEm.

K. T D D E L A United States Patent 3,332,729 DRAWER CONSTRUCTION DaleD. Dickson, 700 N. East St., Greensburg, Ind. 47240 Filed Nov. 18, 1965,Ser. No. 508,457 4 Claims. (Cl. 312204) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Adrawer construction wherein the drawer has a false bottom beneath whichis a compartment. Outside of the drawer is a knob which can be moved toa position such that when the drawer is opened a hook on the closure forthe compartment is engaged causing the closure for the compartment to beopened. The knob is also positionable to permit the closure andcompartment to remain closed when the drawer is opened.

The present invention relates to a drawer construction and moreparticularly to hidden compartments in cabinets and the like.

It is known in the art to provide hidden or secret inner compartments orpanels in cabinets and the like. These compartments in many casesoperate excellently to hide the objects in the hidden or secretcompartment but are difficult to open. Consequently, one object of thisinvention is to provide a drawer construction incorporating a hiddencompartment which is easily opened.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved drawerconstruction.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a drawerconstruction usable in a sample case by a salesman for displayingobjects in predetermined order.

A further object of the invention is to provide a drawer constructionwhich is usable for storing jewelry, doctors tools and the like.

Related objects and advantages will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds.

One embodiment of this invention might include a drawer constructioncomprising a housing, a drawer slidable in said housing between a closedand an open position, said drawer having a compartment therein, aclosure element for said compartment, and means for opening saidcompartment, said means being selectively movable between two positionsin a first of which said compartment remains closed when said drawer isopened and in a second of which said compartment is automatically openedwhen said drawer is opened.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from theaccompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet embodying the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken longitudinally of thecabinet of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the apparatus in adifferent operating position, FIG. 3 being taken along the line 33 ofFIG. in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS 2 and 3 but showing the apparatus instill a further operating position.

FIG. 5 is a section taken along the line 55 of FIG. 3 in the directionof the arrows.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in thedrawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered asillustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understoodthatonly the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and thatall changes and modifications that come within the spirit of 3,332,729Patented July 25, 1967 ice the invention and the scope of the claims arealso desired to be protected.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is illustrated acabinet 10 which has a drawer 11 slidably received in the cabinet inconventional manner, the drawer being slidable between a closedposition, as in FIG. 2, in which the front 12 of the drawer is flushwith the front 15 of the cabinet and the open position of FIG. 1. Thedrawer 11 has a hidden compartment 16 therein. The compartment 16 isdefined in the drawer by a horizontal member 17 and a closure element 20hingedly connected to the horizontal member 17 at 21. The horizontalmember 17 is fixed at three sides to the inside of the drawer 11. Thecompartment 16 further includes an abutment element 23 which acts as astop or an abutment limiting the downward movement of the closureelement 20 and normally retaining the closure element in a horizontalposition. It can be appreciated that the upper surfaces of the members17 and 20 define a false bottom for the inside of the drawer 11.

Fixed to the closure element 20 is a hook 22 which opens and facesforwardly of the cabinet 10. The cabinet includes a housing 25 uponwhich is swingably mounted a wire loop 26, said wire loop beingpivotally mounted upon downwardly extending projections 27 fixed to theinside of the housing. A tension spring 30 is connected to the loop 26and to the inside of the housing and normally retains the loop in theupward position of FIG. 2.

A cam 31 is fixedly mounted upon a member 29 including sidewardlyprojecting portions 32 which are slidably received in tracks 35. Ahandle 36 is mounted on an arm 37 which is secured to a depending foldedportion 40 integral with the member 29. The handle 36 may be pulledoutwardly to the position of FIG. 3 to cause the cam 31 to move the loop26 to a downwardly projecting position wherein it is in the path of thehook 22. When the drawer 11 is opened with the loop 26 in the positionof FIG. 3, the hook engages the loop 26 and causes the closure element20 to swing upwardly as shown in FIG. 4. In other words, the loop iscaused to swing beyond the downwardly extending position of FIG. 3extending the spring 30 and causing the apparatus to move into theposition of FIG. 4. Of course, closure of the drawer also automaticallyreturns the closure element 20 to the position of FIG. 2.

It will be evident that the present invention provides an improveddrawer construction which incorporates a hidden compartment. This hiddencompartment normally is retained closed when the drawer 12 is opened andshut in conventional fashion with the handle 36 pushed in. It will alsobe evident that the present invention provides a hidden compartmentwhich can be easily opened merely by pulling out the handle 36 and thenopening the drawer in conventional manner.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in thedrawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered asillustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood thatonly the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that allchanges and modifications that come within the spirit of the inventionand the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

1. A drawer construction comprising a housing, a drawer slidable in saidhousing between a closed and an open position, said drawer having acompartment therein including the lower portion of said drawer, aclosure element for said compartment, said closure element closing offthe lower portion of said drawer and forming a false bottom for saiddrawer and means for opening said compartment, said means mounted onsaid housing, said means being selectively movable between two positionsin a first of which said compartment remains closed when said drawer isopened and in a second of which said compartment is automatically openedwhen said drawer is opened.

2. The drawer construction of claim 1 wherein said closure element ishinged to said drawer, said means for opening when in said secondposition being positioned to engage said closure element when saiddrawer is slid to said open position for opening said drawer.

3. A drawer construction comprising a housing, a drawer slidable in saidhousing between a closed and an open position, said drawer having acompartment therein, a closure element for said compartment, and meansfor opening said compartment, said means being selectively movablebetween two positions in a first of which said compartment remainsclosed when said drawer is opened and in a second of which saidcompartment is automatically opened when said drawer is opened, saidclosure element having a proximal end hinged to said drawer inwardly ofsaid housing and a distal end projecting outwardly of said housing, ahook mounted on said closure element and facing outwardly of saidhousing, said means for opening when in said second position projectingdownwardly in the path of said hook and adapted to engage said hook foropening said closure element and compartment.

4. The drawer construction of claim 3 wherein said means for openingcomprises a loop swingably mounted on said housing, spring meansyieldably retaining said loop in an upward position, cam means formoving said loop into adownwardly extending position against the urgingof said spring, said loop being adapted to swing past said downwardlyextending position when engaged by said hook against the urging of saidspring for opening said closure element and compartment.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 128,439 6/1872 Unna 3122042,362,017 11/1944 May 312-204 3,166,364 1/1965 Shorin 312204 CASMIR A.NUNBERG, Primary Examiner.

1. A DRAWER CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING A HOUSING, A DRAWER SLIDABLE IN SAIDHOUSING BETWEEN A CLOSED AND AN OPEN POSITION, SAID DRAWER HAVING ACOMPARTMENT THEREIN INCLUDING THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID DRAWER, ACLOSURE ELEMENT FOR SAID COMPARTMENT, SAID CLOSURE ELEMENTS CLOSING OFFTHE LOWER PORTION OF SAID DRAWER AND FORMING A FALSE BOTTOM FOR SAIDDRAWER AND MEANS FOR OPENING SAID COMPARTMENT, SAID MEANS MOUNTED ONSAID HOUSING, SAID MEANS BEING SELECTIVELY MOVABLE BETWEEN TWO POSITIONSIN A FIRST OF WHICH SAID COMPARTMENT REMAINS CLOSED WHEN SAID DRAWER ISOPENED AND IN A SECOND OF WHICH SAID COMPARTMENT IS AUTOMATICALLY OPENEDWHEN SAID DRAWER IS OPENED.